Delhi’s Directorate of Education has overhauled the Class 9 exam and promotion structure, making vocational education and a third language compulsory while adding optional Advanced Mathematics and Science papers from the 2026-27 academic session.
Quick Summary
The Directorate of Education (DoE), Delhi, has issued a circular dated August 17, 2026, revising the assessment and promotion system for Class 9 students starting the 2026-27 academic session. The changes align with NEP 2020 and NCF-SE 2023, introducing skill-based and competency-driven learning through six core subjects, a mandatory third language, and new advanced-level exam options in Mathematics and Science.
Official Notification Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Issuing Authority | Directorate of Education (DoE), Delhi |
| Circular Date | August 17, 2026 |
| Applicable From | Academic Session 2026-27 |
| Category | News |
| Applicable To | Class 9 students in Delhi government/DoE-affiliated schools |
| Key Changes | Vocational education compulsory, third language (R3) mandatory, Advanced Maths/Science introduced, CT & AI modules added |
| Reference | Directorate of Education circular, August 17, 2026 |
What Has Changed?
Delhi Class 9 students will now study six main subjects that determine academic progression and promotion to Class 10:
- Language-1
- Language-2
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Science
- Vocational Education (Kaushal Vikas)
Vocational Education has been made compulsory to give students early exposure to skill-based learning and employability, according to the Directorate.
Third Language (R3) Now Compulsory
A third language, referred to as R3, is now mandatory from Class 9. Students will continue with the same three-language combination they studied in Class 8, with one language designated as R3.
Key points on the R3 rule:
- R3 will be assessed entirely at the school level.
- The marksheet will show only ‘qualified’ or ‘not qualified’ status for R3, not marks.
- A student who does not qualify in R3 in Class 9 can still be promoted to Class 10 if other promotion criteria are met.
- Such students must clear the R3 assessment while in Class 10.
- Students cannot appear for the Class 10 board examination until they qualify in R3.
Advanced Mathematics and Science Introduced
Two levels of Mathematics and Science have been introduced for Class 9:
- All students will take the common Mathematics and Science papers based on the prescribed syllabus.
- Students who wish to study beyond the standard syllabus can additionally opt for Mathematics Advanced, Science Advanced, or both.
- Advanced-level papers carry 25 marks each, with a duration of one hour, and focus on higher-order thinking skills.
- Marks from the advanced papers will not count toward promotion or the overall aggregate.
- Students scoring at least 50 per cent in an advanced paper will have this achievement recorded separately on their marksheet.
The earlier Mathematics Basic and Mathematics Standard structure has been discontinued for Class 9 from 2026-27, though it will continue to apply for Class 10 students during this session.
Other Curriculum Additions
The revised curriculum also makes these areas compulsory, assessed at the school level:
- Individuals in Society
- Art Education
- Physical Education and Well-Being
Computational Thinking and Artificial Intelligence (CT & AI) will be introduced as a structured module in all schools from 2026-27 and will become a compulsory subject from 2027-28.
New Promotion Criteria
Under the revised rules, students must meet the following to be promoted to Class 10:
- Score at least 33 per cent separately in internal assessment/practical and in external assessment, in each of the six main subjects.
- Score at least 25 per cent in the annual examination.
- Students failing in up to three of the six main subjects will be eligible for compartment examinations.
- Students who remain ineligible for promotion or compartment exams will be declared ‘Essential Repeat’ and will have to repeat Class 9.
What Students and Parents Should Do Next?
- Note that the new rules apply from the 2026-27 academic session onward, not to the current Class 10 batch.
- Confirm with your school which R3 language has been assigned, since it is a continuation of the Class 8 language combination.
- Students aiming for Advanced Maths or Science should check with their school on enrolment and preparation for these optional papers.
- Keep track of school-level assessment schedules for R3, Individuals in Society, Art Education, and Physical Education and Well-Being, as these are evaluated internally.
- Watch for further Directorate of Education circulars on CT & AI module rollout and compartment exam schedules.
